A large arthropod from the Lower Old Red Sandstone (Early Devonian) of Tredomen Quarry,south Wales

Abstract: A large arthropod from the Lower Old Red Sandstone of Tredomen Quarry, near Brecon, Powys, southeast Wales is described as Bennettarthra annwnensis gen. et sp. nov. The animal is incomplete, preserved to a length of 30 cm, and displays a trunk of at least ten, non‐diplopodous segments. The trunk may be delineated into two distinct tagmata: the anterior three somites (as preserved in the fossil) appearing ornamented and apparently bearing robust, ornamented, segmented walking legs; the posterior somites appearing relatively smooth, of which at least the anterior five somites bear simple, sclerotized rudimentary appendages. Unfortunately, diagnostic features such as detailed appendage arrangement for the anterior tagma and the head and tail region are largely missing, frustrating detailed classification. However, the delineation of the non‐diplopodous trunk into two tagmata, each displaying apparently distinct appendage morphology, together with the large size of the fossil, is a feature hitherto unknown in any arthropods from terrestrial/freshwater fossil assemblages of this age. In terms of taxonomic placement, based on the currently limited morphological evidence, a malacostracan or hexapodan affinity for Bennettarthra appears most likely. The animal is preserved in laminated sandstone with plant debris, osteostracan fish and abundant thin irregularly shaped carbonaceous sheets. The sandstone was deposited from a river flood that buried and preserved articulated fish and Bennettarthra. These animals were probably buried alive and suffocated in sediment. Trace fossils including Diplichnites trackways and Beaconites burrows occur in close stratigraphic proximity to the flood deposit, and it is possible that this arthropod was the maker of one or both of these traces.     

Biological components of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wales

The designation of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) is one of the major statutory measures for wildlife protection in Britain. In this account, procedures for selecting SSSIs are outlined, and the representation of habitats and species in different taxonomic groups which qualify 731 SSSIs notified in Wales (in November 1994) are summarized. Biological SSSIs occupy approximately 9.6% of the total area of Wales. There are significant differences in the numbers and sizes of sites characteristic in the uplands (few large), lowlands (many small) and coast (intermediate). Over 70% of the biological SSSIs have more than one qualifying feature. Most sites (663, 90%) have been selected for one or more habitats, and many sites (328, 45%) have particular species attributes. In relation to their total extent in Wales, some habitats (including ombrotrophic peatland, dwarf-shrub heathland, rich fen and sand dune) have greater proportional representation in SSSIs than others (such as upland grassland, woodland and scrub). These differences reflect conservation priorities for Welsh habitats which are related to the wider British context. As expected, birds and vascular plants contribute to notification of a greater number of sites than other groups; invertebrates, lichens and bryophytes qualify in some sites and require further evaluation in others; except for bats, mammals are comparatively poorly represented as special features. Birds qualify many of the largest SSSIs in Wales (breeding assemblages in the uplands and overwintering wildfowl and waders in estuaries). Possibilities for future refinement of the SSSI series are considered. It is suggested that the establishment of conservation sites is sufficiently advanced in Britain to permit worthwhile examination of the composition and function of the network as a whole against conservation objectives.     

Two new genera of Glossopteridae

Two glossoptcrid fructifications from the Permian are described. Mudgea , from Australia, consists of a tuft of scales bearing winged orbicular seeds and Breytenia is an urceolate receptacle with biconvex ovules.     

Residency and movement patterns of adult Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) at a breeding aggregation site

Examining the movement ecology of mesopredators is fundamental to developing an understanding of their biology, ecology and behaviour, as well as the communities and ecosystems they influence. The limited research on the residency and movements of benthic marine mesopredators has primarily used visual tags, which do not allow for the efficient and accurate monitoring of individual space use. In this study, the authors investigated the residency and movement patterns of Port Jackson sharks Heterodontus portusjacksoni (Meyer 1793) at a breeding aggregation site in Jervis Bay, south-eastern Australia, using passive acoustic telemetry to further our understanding of the movement ecology of these important mesopredators. Between 2012 and 2014, individuals were tagged with acoustic transmitters, and their residency and movements within the bay were monitored for up to 4 years. H. portusjacksoni showed strong preferences for particular reefs within and between breeding seasons. Males had significantly higher residency indices at their favoured sites relative to females, suggesting that males may be engaging in territorial behaviour. Conversely, female H. portusjacksoni exhibited higher roaming indices relative to males indicating that females may move between sites to assess males. Finally, H. portusjacksoni showed temporal variation in movements between reefs with individuals typically visiting more reefs at night relative to the day, dusk and dawn corresponding with their nocturnal habits.     

Caradoc strophomenoid and plectambonitoid brachiopods from Wales and the Welsh Borderland

Abstract: Ordovician strophomenoidean and plectambonitoidean brachiopods are reviewed and partially redescribed from the Caradoc (Sandbian to Early Katian) age rocks of Wales and the Welsh Borderland of England, then forming part of the Avalonia Terrane. There are 51 nominal species available, of which 12 are synonymised here and many transferred to different genera. Strophomenoids occurred sporadically, often rarely but occasionally abundantly, particularly in mid‐shelf benthic assemblages, and 21 named species and subspecies are noted, including the new Kiaeromena (Kiaeromena) harperi, as well as six in open nomenclature. The common genus Kjaerina, with six species known from the area, is revised in detail. In contrast to the strophomenoids, plectambonitoids were more common in shallow and mid‐shelf assemblages, including Eoplectodonta (Eoplectodonta) abigailae sp. nov., with Sowerbyella in particular dominating many bedding planes, and 17 named species are reviewed, as well as three in open nomenclature. The distinctive Gunningblandella, hitherto known only from Australia and Kazakhstan, is recorded for the first time from Europe. The Avalonian strophomenides are compared with those from neighbouring terranes, particularly Laurentia and Baltica, during a time when the seas between those terranes were narrowing, and the faunas from the three terranes are found to be largely similar at the generic level, although there are few species in common. In contrast, there are few genera in common between those three terranes and the Mediterranean Province of Northwestern Gondwana.     

Climatic changes and 13-year trends in stream macroinvertebrate assemblages in New South Wales, Australia

Over the period from 1994 to 2007, air and water temperatures in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) increased while rainfall and river flows declined. Data on the occurrence of stream macroinvertebrate families in bioassessment samples collected in NSW during this period were examined to see whether a biological response to these climatic and hydrological trends could be discerned. Multiple logistic regression was used to test for long-term trends in the probability of detection of individual macroinvertebrate families within the samples, taking account of the latitude, longitude, altitude, hydraulic habitat, time of year and subsampling method associated with each sample. Of the 124 families and family groups tested, 33 had statistically significant increasing trends, 37 had significantly declining trends and 54 had no significant trend; however, many of the last group were seldom collected and their trend estimates had wide confidence limits. Significant relationships were found between the thermophily and rheophily of the families and the estimated strength and direction of their long-term trends, with families that favour colder waters and faster-flowing habitats more likely to have declined. Although many families showed trends of increasing detection within samples, such trends do not necessarily equate to increasing prevalence in the environment because the extent of wetted habitat has probably declined, especially flowing habitat. In addition, because of likely intrafamilial trait diversity, increasing or apparently increasing families may include species in decline. Many freshwater macroinvertebrate species in NSW may be threatened by anthropogenic climate change, exacerbated by water withdrawals. The thermal tolerances, rheophily and other pertinent traits of individual species need to be determined to identify those most at risk.     

Two proxy records revealing the late Holocene fire history at a site on the central coast of New South Wales,Australia

Abstract: The local fire history of a coastal swamp catchment in New South Wales was reconstructed using two proxy records of fire: sedimentary macroscopic charcoal and fire‐scar analyses of Xanthorrhoea johnsonii. The charcoal analysis provided a record of fire activity spanning the last 2800 years, while the Xanthorrhoea record covered the last approx. 300 years. The ability of each method to accurately record fire events was verified by cross referencing against the recent (post 1968) historic fire record. Fire history was then extrapolated beyond the historic record, to reveal an unprecedented level of fire activity in the last 35 years, which coincides with increased human activity in the area. In the prehistoric period charcoal and fire scars are comparatively rare, which is most parsimoniously ascribed to little fire activity, but perhaps represents skilful fire manipulation, as is often attributed to Aboriginal people. The comparatively minor fluctuations in macroscopic charcoal during the prehistoric period were approximately coeval with previous evidence of late Holocene environmental change in south‐eastern Australia, suggesting that fire frequency at the site responded to climatic variability. The longer temporal perspective of this palaeoenvironmental approach provides information for the contemporary management of fire in this conservation reserve.